The one change that improved my upper body strength was… using my own bodyweight. I ditched gym machines and dumbbells and focused on practising pull-ups and chin-ups instead. If you can’t do a pull-up, don’t be disheartened – you can still build strength this way using resistance bands looped around the bar, but you have to be consistent.
To recover after a tough workout, I always… stay on my feet. It’s very tempting to crash straight onto the sofa, but even a 10-minute slow walk immediately after my session is enough of a cool-down to stop my muscles from seizing up and I feel so much better the next day because of it.
When I’m unmotivated, I start my workouts with… a friend. Sometimes you just need someone to bring the motivation for you. When no one is free, I start with something really simple like a set of squats – I always notice that as soon as the blood is flowing and my heart rate is up, the motivation follows.